# Local .desktop applications

**URL:** <https://discourse.ubuntubudgie.org/t/local-desktop-applications/7639>\
**Category:** General\
**Created:** [February 4, 2025, 1:43pm UTC](https://discourse.ubuntubudgie.org/t/local-desktop-applications/7639 "2025-02-04T13:43:04Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![makitso](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex035/user_avatar/discourse.ubuntubudgie.org/makitso/32/4961_2.png) [@makitso](https://discourse.ubuntubudgie.org/u/makitso)\
**Post date:** [February 4, 2025, 1:43pm UTC](https://discourse.ubuntubudgie.org/t/local-desktop-applications/7639/1 "2025-02-04T13:43:04Z")

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When I want to make a change to the desktop file for an appliation, I copy the .desktop file from /user/share/applications to .local/share/applications.  
So, how would I do this for snap applications?

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**Author:** ![fossfreedom](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex035/user_avatar/discourse.ubuntubudgie.org/fossfreedom/32/1405_2.png) [@fossfreedom](https://discourse.ubuntubudgie.org/u/fossfreedom)\
**Post date:** [February 4, 2025, 1:51pm UTC](https://discourse.ubuntubudgie.org/t/local-desktop-applications/7639/2 "2025-02-04T13:51:34Z")

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> **[Overriding .desktop files on Ubuntu snaps](https://forum.snapcraft.io/t/overriding-desktop-files-on-ubuntu-snaps/6599/4)**
>
> The .desktop files are indeed located in /var/lib/snapd/desktop. And their names are in the following format: snap-package-name\_original-name.desktop. This explains why overrides with original-name.desktop in ~/.local/share/applications/ did not...

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**Author:** ![jlb](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex035/user_avatar/discourse.ubuntubudgie.org/jlb/32/4919_2.png) [@jlb](https://discourse.ubuntubudgie.org/u/jlb)\
**Post date:** [February 5, 2025, 6:26pm UTC](https://discourse.ubuntubudgie.org/t/local-desktop-applications/7639/3 "2025-02-05T18:26:11Z")

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> [@makitso](#):
>
> When I want to make a change to the desktop file for an appliation, I copy the .desktop file from /user/share/applications to .local/share/applications.

Why do you want to modify an installed application launcher, @makitso?  
I don’t see the point a priori, but if not, I have an idea of how to do it easily, whatever the format.

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**Author:** ![makitso](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex035/user_avatar/discourse.ubuntubudgie.org/makitso/32/4961_2.png) [@makitso](https://discourse.ubuntubudgie.org/u/makitso)\
**Post date:** [February 5, 2025, 6:39pm UTC](https://discourse.ubuntubudgie.org/t/local-desktop-applications/7639/4 "2025-02-05T18:39:40Z")

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Well, it was a general question, but lets say I want to change the app icon that shown on the Plank doc.

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**Author:** ![jlb](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex035/user_avatar/discourse.ubuntubudgie.org/jlb/32/4919_2.png) [@jlb](https://discourse.ubuntubudgie.org/u/jlb)\
**Post date:** [February 5, 2025, 8:24pm UTC](https://discourse.ubuntubudgie.org/t/local-desktop-applications/7639/5 "2025-02-05T20:24:00Z")

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I understand, @makitso, I do the same thing sometimes.

“Menu Editor” lets you easily modify the icon by clicking on it.

But to do things differently, launch “Menu Editor”, find the application whose launcher you want to change, hover over the path at the bottom of the window and click on the icon to copy it:

 ![Launcher](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex035/uploads/ubuntubudgie/original/2X/e/eed0a9f27fc876ba6b5e6835f3d6c0bdd25678d4.png)

Next launch the terminal (Ctrl Alt t), type:

```auto
sudo gedit

```

… and paste the path (Ctrl Shift v) so you can edit the launcher.  
Then save it to the .local/share/applications directory.

This is just a little tinkering. In my example, “Poedit” is a Snap, but it applies to all formats (.deb, Flatpak or AppImage too) without having to ask you where the launcher is.